The Churchill Casebook of Curiosities
Interlude: A handwritten note
The scenes of chaos still haunt meA crumpled and folded bit of paper with an ink stain seems to have been dropped by someone in the entry hallway. The writing is a handwritten script that is easy to read. On one side there is a diary like note. On the other there is a rough drawing of the seating arrangement of the séance table with name of each person. The colour of the ink on the page with writing is slightly faded, compared to the page with the drawing which looks fresh. It is clear that it is the same person’s handwriting on both sides.
Friday April 10, 1868
The Battle of Magdala was a devastating encounter between our British expeditionary force and the Abyssinian troops. Equipped with the newly introduced Snider–Enfield rifles, our forces unleashed a level of firepower and devastation that was both unprecedented and gruesome.
The Snider–Enfield rifles, a breech-loading firearm, representing a significant advancement over our previous traditional muzzle-loading rifles, firing six volleys a minute, were decisive. Its design allows for a much faster rate of fire and greater accuracy, as our soldiers can reload quickly by inserting a cartridge directly into the breech. This innovation drastically improved the efficiency and lethality of our soldiers during the battle.
As our forces advanced towards the fortress of Magdala, the Abyssinian defenders, armed mostly with outdated weapons and traditional melee instruments, found themselves at a severe disadvantage. I did not expect that the Abyssinian warriors would leave their defences to attack us, and they paid little regard to their defensive positions as they formed up to deploy.
Our 4th Regiment of Foot quickly redeployed to meet the charging mass of warriors and poured a devastating fire into their ranks. When our two Indian infantry regiments contributed their firepower, the onslaught became even more devastating.
Our new rifles enabled our troops to deliver rapid and sustained volleys of gunfire, decimating the enemy ranks from a distance that their opponents' weaponry could not effectively reach. The impact of these rifles on the Abyssinian forces was nothing short of catastrophic. The high-velocity bullets inflicted severe wounds, often shattering bones and causing extensive tissue damage.
Many of the Abyssinian warriors, unaccustomed to facing such a relentless and technologically superior adversary, suffered grievous injuries. The battlefield was soon littered with the fallen, their bodies bearing the horrific marks of gunshot wounds.
The scenes of chaos and desperation among the Abyssinian forces still haunt me. The relentless barrage from our rifles created an overwhelming sense of fear and confusion. Traditional battle strategies and formations quickly disintegrated in the face of such overpowering firepower. Soldiers who attempted to close the distance with our lines were cut down before they could even come within striking range.
The impact on the Abyssinian troops was profound. The knowledge that their enemy possessed such devastating weapons sapped their morale and eroded their will to fight. The battlefield became a scene of harrowing brutality, with the Abyssinian warriors unable to mount an effective resistance against us!
We, apparently, killed seven hundred, wounded a thousand of theirs, with only two of ours that will probably die from their wounds, and two hundred walking wounded, all from our Indian regiments.
J.B.
